Method of and recorded control for skywriting



J. T. REMEY March 28, 4 1.944.

METHOD OF AND RECORDED CONTROL FOR SKY WRITING Filed Nov.- '7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l I I -4-; Fare/rer I I l SWW/whom wth WNQLMDTE@ March 2s, 1944. j. T. REMEY 2,345,153

METHOD OF AND RECORDED CONTROL FOR SKY WRITING Filed Nov. '7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllljllll mmm .f5 ff fil-4l@ i ffm@ Imm

March 28,1944.I J. T. REMI-:Y 2,345,153

METHOD OF AND tECORDVEDY CONTROL FOR SKY WRITING Filed Nov; v, 1940 ls sheets-sheet s ghi Y// 6 a? 2 l Wf---g-@r---gf-@yf Patented Mar. 28, 1944 UNITED STEii garant OFFICE METHOD or anp RECORDED CONTROL Fon snvvvnirmo 16 Claims.

This invention is a method and apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of contiguous and substantially parallel smoke trails, released from a plurality of airplanes.

In my prior Patent No. 1,716,794, dated June 1l, v1929, there is disclosed a method and apparatus for forming letters or symbOlS ill th@ air by means of contiguous and substantially parallel smoke trails, and the present invention is an 'improvement over such prior patent.

' In my prior patent there is disclosed a column carrying smoke vforming material, which column is carried through the air, in nearly vertical position, by being suspended from a moving aircraft. This column is provided with a number of smo-keemitting valves, the Opening and closing of which are controlled, so thatthe length and placement.

of the several smoke trails is such as to build up a letter or symbol.

In the present invention, a similar principle is utilized, in that a plurality of smoke emitting valves is provided, but in this case each valve together With corresponding smoke forming mechanism, is carried by an individual airplane and these airplanes fly in contiguous and parallel paths, the valve in each plane being operated so as to control the placement and length of smoke trail formed by that plane.

The several planes, say ten or fteen in number, for example, ily in formation. This may be company front formation, in horizontal or vertical planes, or in echelon formation, in horizontal, vertical or diagonal front formation.

The several planes are not mechanically connected. Each plane, however, is provided with controllable means for forming at least one heavy smoke trail, and with means for starting and stopping the smoke trail as desired.

In order t0 form a letter or symbol, the length and placement of the various smoke trails must be accurately coordinated and controlled. According to this invention, this control is effected by a patterned record, analogous to the record used in a player piano, or analogous to the record used in forming letters on travelling electric signs.

Each plane is provided With such a patterned record. This record may be connected to control the smoke releasing mechanism directly, so as tol form smoke trails in the air corresponding to the letters or symbols of the record, or the record may be connected to give a visual, audible Or tactile signal to the operator, Who thereupon operates the smoke valve for releasing the smoke trail in accordance with the timing and duration of indicia on said record determining the length such signal, to form smoke trails in the air corresponding to the letters or symbols of the record.

inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, all the records are started simultaneously, and one of the main objects of this invention is to provide means utilizing a radio Wave, a sound Wave or an invisible light wave for starting the control record in the several planes simultaneously. However, each of these types of Waves has individual characteristics, as to speed of travel, frequency and Wave length, and'so are not to be regarded as equivalents in all respects.

in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the patterned records for the several planes Will be duplicates. I1" ten planes are used, each reoord Will have ten longitudinally extending channels and a variably positionableor other pick-up device will be provided in each ship to respond to the particular slots or other pattern on the record assigned to the particular channel for that ship. Each ship will use the channel on its record corresponding to its place in the flying formation. In other words, the middle ship Will be controlled by the slots or indicia in the middle channel of its record, for example, While the end ships will be controlled by the respective slots or indicia in their respective end channels.

While, as above suggested, the travelling record, which is driven by clockwork, could be arranged to be started either by the received Wave or by the operator `and then would carry through to completion the formation of the desired sign, it is also within thecontemplation of the invention so to control the record that it may be started and stopped at will, either by the received Wave or by the operator, in response to a visual, audible or tactile signal. y

in my copending application, Serial No. 364,747, iiled on even -date herewith, there is disclosed a method and apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air, the lettersor symbols being formed by contiguous parallel smoke trails formed by airplanes flying in parallel paths. The present invention accomplishes a similar result, the feature dierentiating the present invention over said other application being the use of a patterned record ineach airplane, the markings or and placement of the smoke trailsand therefore determining the character of the letter or symbol. A VIn my copending application Serial No. 364,749, riled` on even date herewith, .there is also provided a patterned 'record which is started manually or by clockwork, such record either controlling the smoke valve directly, or operating a signal to tell the operator when to operate the smoke valve.

The main features of the present invention having been thus outlined, further features of construction and operation will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a plurality of planes flying in parallel paths, shown as forming the letter E;

Fig. 2l is a diagrammatic view for illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing a transmitter for sending a radio wave;

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram for showing a receiver for a radio wave;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the travelling record and cooperating driving mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the patterned record;

Fig. '7 is an end view of part of the mechanism of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram showing means for generating a sound wave;

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram showing means for receiving and amplifying the sound wave and connected to operate a smoke valve;

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing means for generating an invisible light ray;

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram showing means for receiving and amplifying such light ray;

Fig. l2 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the invention where the record operates a signal to guide the operator in controlling the emission of smoke;

Fig. 13 shows the operation of a visual signal to guide the operator; and

Fig. 14 shows the operation of an audible signal to guide the operator.

Referring now to these drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Fig. 1 shows a plurality of airplanes 2 flying in contiguous and parallel paths, the several planes having released smoke trails 4 which are also contiguous and parallel, the length and placement of the trails having been controlled to form the letter E. The term smoke as used in this specification is used simply for convenience and is not to be limited to products of combustion, but is intended to cover a visible cloud, which may be formed, as is well understood in this art, by injection of oil into the exhaust pipe, by a spray of titanium tetrachloride, or by a double spray of ammonium chloride and hydrochloric acid, or in other ways, as may be desired.

In that embodiment of the invention where the control is automatic, shown in Fig. 2, each plane is provided with a wave receiver 6 which is connected to control the operation of a patterned record 8, which in turn controls a smoke releasing valve l0.

The several records are started simultaneously by sending to all the planes a wave froma transmitter I2, located on the ground or in one of the planes 2 or in another plane.

The control orvstarting wave may, as has been mentioned, be a radio wave, a sound wave or an invisible light wave.

Where a radio wave is used, a transmitter such as that shown in Fig. 3 may be used. 'Ihis transmitter is of a known type, involving the Tri-tet circuit and is merely briey illustrated here and placement comprises an amplifying tube I4 which may be of the SLG type, and further including a radio frequency choke coil I6 and grid leak I8 and starting key 20. The circuit also comprises a small dial light 22, a screen voltage divider 24 and a B battery 26. The output of the plate circuit is impressed on the antenna 28 in the usual way.

Each plane is provided with a suitable receiver, a known type of which is1shown in Fig. 4. This is a superregenerative circuit and comprises amplifying tube 30 (RK42), on the grid of which the incoming wave is impressed in the usual way, the plate circuit including a B battery 32 and relay 34. The armature 35 of the relay is connected in circuit'l with the solenoid 36 and battery 38 to operate a switch 4l), which may be a starting switch for starting the patterned record, or which may be a reversing switch which will start the patterned record on a received signal and stop it again on the next signal.

The patterned record shown in Fig. 6 may comprise a longitudinal strip 42 of paper or the like provided with slots 44 cut therein, these slots being arranged in longitudinally extending channels 45 corresponding to the number of airplanes used. If nine planes are used there would be nine channels 45, one for each plane and the slots 44 would be placed in the record 42 in a position and relationship corresponding to the position and relationship that it is desired to have in the finished smoke trails.

A duplicate record such as described is in each ship, but each ship will form smoke trails corresponding only to the slots 44 that are in the channels 45 on the record assigned to that ship. In other words, the fourth ship will pick up the slots 44 only in the fourth channel of the record and will not be affected by any of the other slots. This is effected by a brush 46, which is laterally adjustable with respect to the record, by being slidably positioned on the transverse bar 41 by set screws 48', so that it may be set for any particular longitudinal zone on the record.

The record 42 may be unwound from and wound up on reels 48 and led over a conducting drum 58, normally insulated from the brushes 46 but arranged so that when a brush 46 passes through a slot 44, a circuit is closed through wire 52, electrically connected with the drum 5D at 53, drum 5U, brush 46, wire 54 and source of power 55, to energize a solenoid 56 which is connected to the operating handle 58 of a smoke releasing valve G, to release asmoke trail of a length and corresponding to the length and placement of the corresponding slot in the record.

Instead of the slotted record 42, it is obvious that other types of patterned record could be used, of the type used for forming traveling letters in electric signs. For example, actual letters of conducting or non-conducting material could be placed on a traveling belt and brought under brushes 46 arranged to close respective circuits through solenoids 56 as they contacted the respective brushes. This type of traveling circuit closing device, for closing circuits in accordance with a pattern in the form of traveling letters, is well known and is shown, for example, in the following patents: 1,189,419, Bach, 1916; 1,193,- 138, Hanson, 1916; 1,478,691, Bagge, 1923; 1,717,- 370, Coleman, 1929.

The switch 40 could be'simply a starting switch to start the patterned record into operation, in which case it would be directlyconnected to start in each airplane, which record in turn controls the operation of the smoke-emitting 'mechanism in that airplane, to form parallel smoke trails, the length and placement of the smoke trails re-A leased by "a particular airplane being determined by the pattern on the record carried by that airplane, the smoke trails released by the several airplanes cooperating to form individual and successive letters or symbols.

3. In an apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of smoke trails, an air' plane provided with smoke emitting mechanism, for forming an elongated trail of smoke control means, including a movable patterned record, for use in controlling said smoke emitting mechanism, so as to form horizontal elongated smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals, and means for receiving and amplifying a Wave signal, operatively connected to said record control means.

4. In an apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of smoke trails, an airplane provided with smoke emitting mechanism, for forming an elongated trail of smoke control means, including a movable patterned record,l connected to operate said smoke emitting mechanism, so as to form horizontal elongated smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals, and means for receiving and amplifying a wave signal, operatively connected to said record control means.

5. In an apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of smoke trails, an airplane provided with smoke emitting mechanism, for forming an elongated trail of smoke means, including a patterned record, for controlling said smoke emitting mechanism, so as to form horizontal elongated smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals, means for driving said record at a constant speed, and means for receiving and amplifying a signal Wave, for start# ing said record into operation.

6. In an apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of smoke trails, an airplane provided with smoke trail forming mechanism, a patterned record, divided into zones,lcor responding to the total number of smoke trails to be formed, and variably positionable means', settable for operation in a selected one of said zones, for use in controlling said smoke trail forming mechanism, to form smoke trails in accordance with that part of the patterned record located in said selected Zone. I

7. The method of forming letters cr symbols in the air by the use of parallel smoke trails comprising the steps of iiying a plurality of airplanes in substantially parallel paths, releasing smoke trails in parallel relationship from said airplanes the length and placement of which trails are controlled by a series of substantially identical'patterned records, one for each airplane, each plane however releasing smoke trails only in accordance with a particular portion of the record assigned to that plane, said records all being started at the same time by a signal wave.

8. The method of forming letters or symbolsin the air, comprising the steps of flying a plurality of airplanes in substantially parallel paths.

simultaneously releasing parallel, intermittent smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals from the several airplanes, and controlling the length and placement of the several trails by the use of a patterned record in each'` airplane, said smoke trails cooperating to form individual and successive letters" or symbols.Y

.9., The method of forming letters or symbols in the fair, comprising the steps of ilying a plurality ofairplanes in substantially parallel paths, vsimultaneously "releasing parallel, intermittent smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals from the several airplanes, and controlling thelength and placement of the several trails by the use of a patterned record in each airplane, said smoke trails cooperating to form individual and successive letters or symbols said records all being started at the same time bymeans of signal waves sent to the respective airplanes.

10. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols irr the air by means of parallel smoke trails, come' prising a plurality of airplanes, arranged to ily in parallel paths and each equipped with smoke emitting mechanism, and a movable patterned record in each airplane, for use in operating said smoke emitting mechanism to form parallel smoke trails of controlled length at controlledl intervals, in accordance with indicia carried by the patterned record, said smoke trails cooper@ ating to form individual and successive letters" or symbols. i 11,'Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of parallel smoke trails, com` prising a plurality of airplanes, arranged to ily in parallel paths and each equipped with smoke emitting mechanism, and a movable patterned record in each airplane, directly connectedvto operate said smoke emitting mechanism to for'm parallel smoke trails of controlled length at con;

trolled intervals, in accordance with indicia car#l ried by the patterned record, said smoke trails4 cooperating to form individual and successive let# ters or symbols.

Y l2. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of parallel smoke trails, com?" prising a plurality of airplanes, arranged to ilyin-A parallel paths and each equipped with smoke" emittingmechanism, a movable patterned record in each airplane, for use in operating said smoke emitting mechanism to form parallel smoke trailsV of controlled length at controlled intervals, in accordance with indicia carried by the patterned record said smoke trails cooperating to form individual and successive letters or symbols and means for receiving and amplifying a signal wave for starting said record into operation.

13. Apparatus for forming letters or symbolsl in the air by means of parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality of airplanes, arranged to ily in parallel paths and each equipped With smoke emitting mechanism, a movable patterned record' in' each airplane, directly connected to operate' said smoke emitting mechanism to form parallel smoke trails of controlled length at controlledj intervals, in accordance with indicia carried by the patterned record said smoke trails cooperat-` ing to form individual and successive letters or symbols and means for receiving a nd amplify-- ing a signal wave for starting said record into operation.

14. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols inthe air by means of parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality of airplanes, arranged to ily' in'parallel' paths and each equipped with smoke emitting mechanism, a movable patterned record in each airplane, for use iny operating said smoke*A emitting mechanism to form parallel smoke trails'v of controlled length at controlled intervals, in/'ac-l cordance with indicia carried by the patternedrecord saidsmoke trails cooperating to form dividual and successive letters or symbols and*A means for driving said record at a constant speed.

l5. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality of airplanes arranged to fly in parallel paths and each equipped with smoke emitting mechanism, a movable patterned record in each airplane, directly connected to operate said smoke emitting mechanism to form parallel smoke trails of controlled length at controlled intervals, in accordance with indicia carried by the patterned record said smoke trails cooperating to form individual and successive letters or symbols and means for driving said record at a constant speed.

16. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means of parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality of airplanes arranged to iiy in ly identical and divided into longitudinal zones,`

and a device in each plane, Variably positionable with respect to the patterned record and settable to cooperate with a particular zone in the patterned record carried by that plane, and operatively connected to said smoke trail forming 15 mechanism.

J OHN T. REMEY. 

